Mechanical refrigerator



June 20, 1939.

Fig. 1.

G. M. EVANS 2,162,945

MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR Filed May 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l v 3 44 24 INVENTOR.

Gordon M. Eva s ATTORNEY.$

June 20, 1939. G. M. EVANS MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR Filed May 11, 1938 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Q m M n G Patented June 20, 1939 UNITED sTATl-zs {PATENT orrlca macnamcar. anrarsnna'roa Gordon m. Evans, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 11, 1938;8erial No. 207,209

11 Claim.

ture and many of them are equippedwith a dressed up appearance onthe interior and include various control mechanism, some of which may be automatic, and these things add to the cost of producing the refrigerator. As a result, refrigerators require a considerable outlay of money and on the whole may be regarded as relatively expensive.

There-appears to be a place in the industry for a low cost, simple, eflicient refrigerator such as may be used by the people who do not feel that they can afford the conventional refrigerator of the present time; and which may beused as auxiliary, or second, or third refrigerators by those who find need for more than one refri erator. For example, many people have homes equipped with mechanical refrigerators in or about the kitchen, and many of these people.

would like to have, and have need for, another refrigerator which could be located in the basement or recreation room, or the like, provided a low cost refrigerator was obtainable. A refrigerator in the kitchen is usually quite well loaded with food stuffs which are used at meal time, and it would be most convenient to have a second refrigerator in the basement for food stuffs, drinks or water or the like which are relatively infrequently used but which should be kept in a cold condition,-or at least should be cold when used a The principal objectof this invention is to provide a simple, efllcient, low cost refrigerator to meet the needs above pointed out and to meet any other need to which the refrigerator may be put. Structures for carrying out the invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a general view of the refrigerator constructed in accordance with the invention illustrating essentially the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig, 3 is a view of the same proportions as Fig.

0 1 taken substantially on line 3-4 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the container of the refrigerator shown in Fl l Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line H of Fig. 4.

Fi 6 is a view illustrating a modified form of evaporator.

, Fig. 7 is a view illustrating a further modified form of evaporator,

Fig. 8 is a cross "sectional view taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig.1.

Fig.9 is a view showing the evaporator and means for making ice cubes.

Fig, 10 is a view looking into a container illus trating a modified form of the interior structure.

In accordance with this invention, the refrigerator comprises-essentially a vessel in the form of a container or tub which is open at the top. Such a container is illustrated. generally at l and itmay be arranged to be supported I by suitable supports or legs 2. The container.

preferably is of a double walled formation having an outer shell with side walls 3 and a bottom wall 4 and an inner shell with side walls 5 and a bottom wall 6. These shells may advantageously be'circular in cross section as shown in Fig. 3, and the space between the shells serves as insulation to prevent-heat transfer, and this space may either contain air of atmospheric pressure or may have a vacuum drawn therein, or may be filled with insulating material. Where the space merely contains air, the space is preferably divided by dividing partition strips 1. Theseserve to space the shell and also serve to prevent flow of convection air currents. The bottom portions 4 and 8 may beheld separated by a circum ferential spacer strip or member 8. The shells may be made of one or more pieces, and, as illustrated in Fig. '4, the inner shell may be of one piece while the outer shell is of two pieces with a preferably vulcanized directly'tothe metal and thus serves to seal the space between the shells and serves as a sealing element for a closure member. This structure forms a receptacle which is open at the top, and it may be closed by an ordinary lid I I which may be completely removed for access into the container. The top structure may have a handle I and bead-formation l6 arranged to seaton the top of the gasket i0.

' The mechanism of the refrigerator may be disposed on a support 20 carried by the legs 2 near the bottom thereof, and this mechanism may include the usual well-known compressor and condenser, etc. As illustrated, a sealed motor compressor unit is illustrated at II and the compressed refrigerant flows out through a conduit 22,

' partment.

5 may be disposed in the conduit 24, to control the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator. At 25 is a capillary tube. A return conduit 26 conducts the vaporized refrigerant back to the compressor. This mechanism may be partly enclosed by a 1 sheet metal apron IS.

A very simple evaporator is contemplated and this, preferably, is a tubular-like arrangement preferably disposed on the axial center of the refrigerated compartment. One form is illustrated in Fig. 4 and it includes a body 21 which may be a casting welded to the bottom members 4 and 3, as at 23. Secured by welding or otherwise to this casting are two tubular members 29 and 33 sealed together at their upper edges as at 3| and united to the casting as at 32 and 33.

The casting has a passageway 35 to which the conduit 24 connects, and passageway 35 leads into a refrigerant space 33. An outlet tube for gasified refrigerant is illustrated at 31, its open end being near the top of the space 36, and thisconducts the returning gases through the passageway 33 in the casting to the return line 23.

As will be noted'by reference to Fig. 3, the evaporator is centrally disposed. The food stufi's or the like are placed into the receptacle and removed therefrom through the top. When the top is opened there is no tendency for the cold air to rush out through the opening. As a matter of fact tests have shown that the top can be open for a considerable length of time without considerable increase in the temperature within the refrigerated compartment.

The compartment may be divided into superposed chambers so that somefood stuffs or the 40 like can be placed in the bottom of the receptacle and others supported thereabove. To this end the inner .wall of the compartment and the evaporator may be provided with supports 43 and 4| for supporting a shelf preferably in the form 45 of a screen or interwoven open wire construction,

the same being shown at 42. This screen or shelf advantageously has an opening 43 which may be segmental in shape so that it may be turned to permit access to any article in the bottom of w the receptacle. Thus, although the shelf 42 may be pretty well loaded with goods to be refrigerated, it is not difiicult to turn the shelf around so that access may be had to any article therebelow.

as The member 21 is preferably open on some of itssides, theopenings being illustrated at 44, to provide for the fiow of convection air currents downwardly through the tubular evaporator structure and then out into the refrigerated com- It has been found that ice may. be rapidly frozen by the disposition of a quantity of water within the tube 33. Suitable means may be employed for containing and supporting watercontaining means for the freezing of water.

a modified form of evaporator is illustrated in Fig. 6 residing essentially in a tube 43 closed at its upper end as at 43 and at its lower end as at 41 and held spaced above the bottom of the receptacle by a fitting 43 in turn supported and held secured by screw threaded nuts 49 and 33.

nects into the same as shown. while the return tube 31 may pass through the fitting as illustrated.

75 By' supporting the member 43 above the bottom of the container access may be had underneath the same for keeping this location clean.

' A still further modified form of evaporator is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 wherein the same fitting arrangement is used as is employed in Fig. 6, 5

that is the same fitting 48 and nuts 4! and 50. This evaporator may be a special heat transferring structure comprising an inner tubular form 53 closed at each end and supported in a manner similar to the support of the tube 45. The inner lo tubular structure may be made in accordance with the claimed disclosure in my Patent No. 2,107,031. As shown in Fig. 8 it is made up of four members or strips, each having a portion 53 with these portions cooperating to form the tube, 1

and with edges extending out as at 51 for heat transfer purposes. Between each of these four members other heat transfer strips 33 may be used which extend into the tubular form as at 59. An outer tubular shell may be used. The members 55 and 53 are to be united at the several points of contact by welding or by molten sealing metal, or the like, and their extending portions,

or some of them, may be secured to the outer shell 33.

The refrigerant is within the inner tube 33 but the entire structure is spaced from the bottom of the compartment and therefore convection air currents may pass downwardly between the inner and outer tubular formations, and an efficient 30 heat transfer is effected particularly due to the fins or wings constituted by the parts 51 and 58, and due to the fact that these parts are in direct contact with the refrigerant. The convection currents which move downwardly through a the outer chambers of this double tube structure spread in all directions outwardly at the bottom of the compartment. Thus there is an ideal circulation of air as these convection currents then move upwardly through all portions of the re- 0 supports 3| and 32. As shown in Fig. 10 there are four of such baskets. for containing refrigerated goods and each may have a handle 34.

Any one of the baskets may be lifted out in order to provide for access to the bottom of the refrigerated compartment.

For the making of ice cubes a suitable arrangement may be provided for holding water in a freezing zone. 'In this connection the hollow interior of the evaporators shown in Figs. 1 and 1 may be employedas sharp freezing chambers. As illustrated in Fig. 9 there is a cap 33 arranged to be placed over the top of the evaporator and held spaced therefrom by elements 3| and 32. The lmderside of the cap may, have suitable devices such as loops 33 for the reception of the ends of cup-like water retainers 34 each with a handle portion 35. With the evaporator shown in Figs. 7 and 8 four of such receptacles may be Figs. 1 and 4. The interior ofthe evaporators 1 may be arranged to be below freezing, and it has been found that Water will rapidly freeze in this location. When this is done the passageways A may be substantially closed to the passage of convection currents therethrougnbut the convection currents may then flow through the passageways B.

Accordingly, it will be noted that very simple refrigerator structure is provided which can be cheaply manufactured and which does not em body an expensive or elaborate cabinet nor an expensive or elaborate evaporator. Yet a very efficient arrangement is provided, particularly due to the upwardly opening receptacle-like compartment from which the cold air cannot flow when the top is open. The double wall formation has been found, upon test, to be very efficient even though the space between the inner and outer shells was closed at atmospheric pressure to confine a body of still air. The evaporator structure, while simple, is effective and efiicient and is located centrally relative to the shell and the material therein being refrigerated.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator comprising, a receptacle having closed side walls and a closed bottom and which constitutes a refrigerated compartment for material, a closure member for the top of the receptacle, a refrigerant evaporator mounted substantially centrally of the bottom of the receptacle and extending upwardly into a receptacle and means extending through the bottom of the receptacle constituting a support for the evaporator and having a passage therethrough for refrigerant.

2. A refrigerator comprising, a receptacle having closed side walls and a closed bottom and which constitutes a refrigerated compartment for material, said receptacle including two shells,

one disposed within the other and with. the walls of the shells spaced apart, a closure for the top of the receptacle, an evaporator for refrigerant mounted substantially centrally of the bottom of the receptacle and extending substantially vertically upwardly in the receptacle and means extending through the bottom of the receptacle constituting a support for the evaporator and having a. passage therethrough for refrigerant.

3. A refrigerator comprising, a receptacle having fixed and unopenable side walls and a closed bottom and which constitutes a refrigerated container for material, an openable closure member for the top of the receptacle providing access through the top only, a refrigerant evaporator vertically disposed substantially on the vertical axis of the receptacle and extending upwardly into the receptacle substantially from the bottom thereof, means fixed to the bottom of the receptacle for supporting the evaporator, supporting meansintermediate the bottom and upper edge of the receptacle, and a shelf on said supporting means and rotatable thereon, said shelf substantially fitting the interior of the container and having an opening therethrough whereby the shelf may be turned for access to material in the bottom of the receptacle.

4. A refrigerator comprising, a receptacle having fixed unopenable side walls and a closed bottom and which constitutes a refrigerated container for material, an openable closure member for the top of the receptacle providing the only means of access into the receptacle, a refrigerant evaporator vertically disposed substantially on the vertical axis of the receptacle and extending upwardly into the receptacle from the bottom thereof and mounted on the bottom, said receptacle-being substantially circular in horizontal cross section, supporting means 'positioned generally midway between the bottom of the receptacle and the upper edge thereof, and a plurality of separate segmental baskets disposed in the upper part of the receptacle for containing material, said baskets being individually removable for access to material in the bottom of the receptacle.

5. In a refrigerator, a receptacle having, fixed and unopenable side walls and a bottom wall constituting a refrigerated compartment, an evaporator including a body member secured to the bottom of the receptacle, said body member having passageways for the inlet and outlet of refrigerant, a pair of tubular members one disposed within the other and secured to the body member, the walls of the tubular members being spaced apart and sealed to form a sealed annular space for refrigerant and connected to the inlets and outlets.

6. In a refrigerator, a receptacle having fixed unopenable side walls and a bottom wall constituting a refrigerated compartment, an evaporator including a body member secured to the bottom of the receptacle, said body member having passageways for the inlet and outlet of refrigerant, a pair of tubular members one dis-' relation and having passageways therethrough for the inlet and outlet of refrigerant, and a vertically disposed tube-like member having a sealed upper end and'a sealed lower end mounted on said fitting for the reception of liquid refrigerant, the said outlet for refrigerant including a conduit opening into the tube-like member near its upper portion.

8. In a refrigerator, 9. refrigerating compartment having side walls and a bottom wall and which form an upwardly opening compartment, closure means for the top of the compartment, an evaporator for refrigerant secured to and extending upwardly from the bottom of the compartment having a chamber for refrigerant and one or more other vertically extending chambers in proximity to the chamber for the refrigerant and constituting sharp freezing chambers, and a receptacle for water arranged to hang in a depending manner and extending downwardly into the said freezing chamber.

9: In a refrigerator, a refrigerating compartment having side walls and a bottomwall and which form an upwardly opening compartment, closure means for the top of the compartment, an evaporator for refrigerant secured to and extending upwardly from the bottom of the compartment having a chamber for refrigerant and one or more other vertically extending chambers in proximity to the chamber for the refrigerant and constituting sharp freezing chambers, and a plurality of elongated receptacles for water arranged to be inserted into the sharp freezing 1| chamber from the top of the evaporator, and means for holding said elongated receptacles suspended in the sharp freezing chambers.

10. A refrigerator comprising, a tub-like body having fixed and unopenable side walls and bottom wall and providing a compartment accessible from the toponly for the reception of goods to be refrigerated, an openable closure means for the top of the body, an evaporator for refrigerant, .ineans for mounting the evaporator on the bottom of the tub like member with the evaporator and closure means independent of each other, said evaporator having a substantially unbroken solid outersurface and being relatively long vertically so as to extend substantially from the bottom of the compartment to the top thereof and having relatively small horizontal dimensions whereby goods to be refrigerated may be placed in the compartment around the evaporator.

11. A refrigerator comprising, a tub-like body having fixed and unopenable side walls and hottom wall and providing a compartment accessible from the top only for the reception of goods to be refrigerated, an openable closure means for the top of the member, an evaporator for refrigerant, means for mounting the evaporator on the bottom of the tub-like member, said evaporator being relatively long vertically so as to extend substantially from the bottom of the compartment to the top thereof and havingrelatively small horizontal dimensions whereby goods to be refrigerated may be placed in the compartment around the evaporator, said evaporator having passageways therethrough extending substantially from the top to the bottom of the evaporator and from the upper portion to the lower portion of the compartment and opening into the compartment at its upper and lower portions for confining and holding convection currents in close proximity to cooling surfaces of the evaporator substantially throughout the vertical extent of the compartment.

GORDON M. EVANS. 

